This is not Goodbye
by LovernonFighter89
Summary: My take on chapter 84; Ed and Winry share a moment before he leaves for the Promise Day


**This is my first story so please read and review. This is how I wish Chapter 84 happened in the manga.**

This is not Goodbye

Winry tightened the last screw on Ed's arm before she finished. She polished the arm and watched as Ed got up off the bed.

'_How can he be so calm?'_ she thought.

The worst was coming: the Promise Day. It was the moment where Ed and Al would defeat Father and the rest of the Homunculi and hopefully get their bodies back. The moment the brothers have been fighting for since the human transmutation of their mother went wrong caused Al to lose his body and Ed to lose an arm and a leg. Winry will never forget that day; it was a traumatic day for her. She had almost lost her best friends. Thankfully, she didn't. However, with this Promise Day could take away her friends for good.

She took a step back as Ed stood up.

"Wow, this feels great!" he exclaimed as he flexed his arm, "You did a good job!"

"I'm glad," she forced a smile and choked on her words.

He turned to look at her with concern in his eyes, "Are you okay?"

"Of course," she lied.

There was a moment of silence before Ed crossed his arms over his chest, "You're lying."

"No, I'm not," she lied again, "Really, I'm fine."

"Winry, I've known you since childhood and I know when you're lying about something," Ed smirked, "Just tell me the truth."

She couldn't bring herself to tell the truth, "It's not that important, anyways." She got up from the bed, "I'm gonna go check on Al."

She started heading towards the door until she felt something cold and metal grab her hand. It was Ed's automail.

"Winry," his voice was soft. His bangs covered his eyes so she couldn't see his expression, "You wouldn't lie to me, right? You would always tell me the truth, right?"

The way he said it made something inside her chest hurt. She gave out a soft sigh and whispered, "Yes."

His hand tightened around hers, "Then tells me what's wrong."

"I can't," she breathed out.

He turned to look at her and gasped. There were tears forming in her bright blue eyes.

"Hey!" he gripped her shoulders, "You promised me you wouldn't cry unless they were tears of joy. Don't you dare break that promise!"  
"It's hard," she wiped the tears with her hand before they fell down her cheeks.

"Winry," he slid his hands down to her lower elbow, "You know I hate to see you cry."

"I know," she said.

He led her to the bed where they both sat down.

"Now, tell me what's wrong," he commanded.

"I'm not ready to say goodbye to you and Al yet," she admitted.

"Goodbye?" he was confused.

"This Promise Day is about to happen and I," she took a deep, shuttering breath, "I can't bring myself to say goodbye." She couldn't bring herself to look at him so she turned her head.

"You're such an idiot," he spoke up.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Don't say sorry!" he shouted, "You have nothing to be sorry about!"

"Ed," she turned to look at him.

"Why do you have to say goodbye?" he asked.

Winry couldn't bring herself to answer that.

"You think we're gonna die, don't you?" he asked.

Again, there was silence.

"Answer me," his voice was monotone.

"I know you and Al are strong but," she admitted, "But a part of me is scared because I may lose you guys for good this time."

He stood from the bed and turned to look at her with his cocky grin, "Geez, you could give us a little more credit than that."

"Huh?" she was confused.

"Me and Al have done dangerous missions before. Sure, we may come back banged up or in pieces," he grinned at his automail, "but we do come out alive."

Again, Winry was silent.

"So, you have nothing to worry about," Ed specified.

"That's where you're wrong," she spoke up, "I always worry and I can't help that. You and Al go off and I never know if you will come back alive or not. Even though I get mad that you busted your arm, I'm truly grateful that's it's just your arm, instead of your life. Losing you guys would be the hardest thing for me to go to. I don't think I could bear it."

Ed just stared at her, "Sorry but I'm not saying goodbye."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I'm not saying goodbye to you," he specified.

"Ed!" she was angry now.

"Goodbye is when you let go of someone when you know you'll never see them again," he explained, "You plan on letting us go that easily?"

"Well..." but she couldn't finished.

"I don't plan on saying goodbye because I plan on coming back," he grinned, "I want to live to see Al's body and see you cry with tears of joy."

"Ed," she felt her heart flutter.

"Every fight that I've been in, I've come close to dying," he spoke up.

"I don't want to hear this," she whispered.

"You need to hear this," he said. She gazed up at his serious features as he continued, "There have been moments where I did just lay down and want to give up. Then I remember what it is that I'm fighting for. Sure, people may call me a hero but when I'm fighting, I don't think about the people who admire me. I think about two people: Al and you."

Winry's breath hitched in her throat.

"When I'm battling an enemy, I always think about how I have to win. How I have to make it back to you and Al. You two are the most important things in my life. We have both been through tragedies and yet we still have each other. In fact, we're all we have left, just the three of us. If it was really the end, then I would spend my last moments with you and Al."

"But you and Al never tell me anything," she retorted in a soft voice.

"That's because you don't deserve any of this," he retorted, "Winry, you of all people, don't deserve any of this. You don't deserve to be a hostage. You don't deserve to witness the violence and people dying. Your life should not be exposed to any of this! Sometimes, I just wish I could take you away from all of this!"

Then his eyes widen!

"What is it?" she asked, watching him carefully.

"I have an idea," he looked at her, "I want you and Granny to pack up and leave the country. Go somewhere else."

"What?" Winry was astounded.

"I mean it!" he exclaimed.

"How can you even suggest that?" she asked, bewildered.

"Your life's at stake!" he yelled.

"I don't care!" she yelled back.

"Well I do," he shouted back. He turned his back away from her so he could calm his anger.

Winry stood her ground, "I can convince Granny to leave but I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here!"

"Winry..." his fist clenched.

"You can't ask me to abandon you, not after all we been through. I've stood by your side since day one and I don't plan on stopping now. This is my choice, Ed, and I'm sticking with it," she explained.

"You're so stubborn," he shook his head.

"That was one thing we do have in common," she pointed out.

"Winry, I've already lost to many people close to me," he whispered, "I can't stand to lose one more person especially if it was you."

"Now, you know how I feel when I hear about you going into battle," she sighed.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Ed," Winry spoke up.

"Yeah?" he looked at her.

"I'm scared," she admitted.

"Don't be," he tried to assure her.

He turned his body towards her and was caught by surprise when she lunged at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Ed immediately blushed at contact and kept his arms stiffly at his sides.

"I know you don't like personal contact but I have to hug you just this one time," she mumbled into his shoulder.

Ed suddenly felt a pang in his heart, "You really think this is the end."

"I don't want to take any chances," she started to tremble.

He wrapped his arms around her waist to stop her shaking, "This is not goodbye."

Winry gave no reply.

"I'm coming back. When it's over and we get our bodies back," he gripped her tighter to his body, "We will come back to you."

"I'll hold your word on that," she muttered.

Reluctantly, he let go of her as she did him.

"I have to go," he spoke in a soft voice.

"I know," she couldn't bring herself to look in his eyes.

"Look at me," he whispered.

Winry couldn't move.

Using his automail hand, he carefully lifted her chin so her eyes could meet with his, "We'll be back. I promise." He gave her a reassuring smile.

"You better," she couldn't help but smile back, "I want to cry with tears of joy."

"And I want to see Al's face when he takes a bite out of your apple pie," he grinned.

He turned and proceeded towards the door.

'_This could be the one chance I get'_ she thought before she shouted, "Ed, wait!"

Ed turned back and looked at her with a confused look.

"There's something I have to tell you," she walked closer to him.

"Okay," Ed stood there patiently.

She looked up...

'_Wait! I'm looking up at him now. He's gotten taller'_ she thought now looking up at him.

"Are you going to tell me?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"You're taller than me," she blurted.

Ed finally took notice of his height and grinned in satisfaction, "Hey! I did grow some!"

Winry took a deep breath, "Please don't get mad when I do this."

"Why would I..." but he never had to finish. Winry softly placed her lips on his. She was kissing him! It was a soft, gentle kiss and he kinda liked it...

She slowly pulled away and sighed, "You probably don't want to hear this but I have to let you know. I'm in love with you and I have been for a long time now. And I completely understand if you feel the same way cause I rather you be happy. But I couldn't keep it a secret anymore."

Ed's mouth turned into a grin, "Well, now I have a good reason to come back for sure."

"Huh?" she was confused.

"I'll tell you exactly what I mean when I come back," he grinned as he gripped her shoulders, "For now, I want you to wait."

"If you haven't noticed, I already do wait for you," she gave a small smile.

"I promise you, this will be the last time you have to wait for us. Once Al and I get our bodies back, we are leaving the military and staying in Risembool," he explained.

"I can't wait for that!" she beamed.

After everyone said their goodbyes, Ed joined up with the group to say goodbye as Winry and Pinako stood outside their door to see them off.

"Goodbye Pinako!" Ed smirked.

"You better be careful," she warned.

"We'll be back," Ed looked at Winry, "Winry, keep an apple pie ready for me and Al and promise you'll wait just a little bit longer. I'll come back and we can talk."

"I will," she nodded.

Winry watched as Ed walked away. She knew in her heart he would come back, for this was not goodbye.


End file.
